• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.11-17
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• 2017

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with multifactorial causes including environmental and genetic factors. Several studies have demonstrated that the organic cation/carnitine transporter 1 (OCTN1) non-synonymous variant L503F is associated with susceptibility to CD. However, it was reported that L503F is absent in Asian populations. Previously, we identified and functionally characterized genetic variants of the OCTN1 promoter region in Koreans. In that study, four variants demonstrated significant changes in promoter activity. In the present study, we determined whether four functional variants of the OCTN1 promoter play a role in the susceptibility to or clinical course of CD in Koreans. To examine it, the frequencies of the four variants of the OCTN1 promoter were determined by genotyping using DNA samples from 194 patients with CD and 287 healthy controls. Then, associations between genetic variants and the susceptibility to CD or clinical course of CD were evaluated. We found that susceptibility to CD was not associated with OCTN1 functional promoter variants or haplotypes showing altered promoter activities in in vitro assays. However, OCTN1 functional promoter haplotypes showing decreased promoter activities were significantly associated with a penetrating behavior in CD patients (HR=2.428, p=0.009). Our results suggest that the OCTN1 functional promoter haplotypes can influence the CD phenotype, although these might not be associated with susceptibility to this disease.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권8호
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• pp.1491-1499
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• 2017

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is transformed from trimethylamine (TMA) through hepatic flavin-containing monooxygenases, can promote atherosclerosis. TMA is produced from dietary carnitine, phosphatidylcholine, and choline via the gut microbes. Previous works have shown that some small molecules, such as allicin, resveratrol, and 3,3-dimethyl-1-butanol, are used to reduce circulating TMAO levels. However, the use of bacteria as an effective therapy to reduce TMAO levels has not been reported. In the present study, 82 isolates were screened from healthy Chinese fecal samples on a basal salt medium supplemented with TMA as the sole carbon source. The isolates belonged to the family Enterobacteriaceae, particularly to genera Klebsiella, Escherichia, Cronobacter, and Enterobacter. Serum TMAO and cecal TMA levels were significantly decreased in choline-fed mice treated with Enterobacter aerogenes ZDY01 compared with those in choline-fed mice treated with phosphate-buffered saline. The proportions of Bacteroidales family S24-7 were significantly increased, whereas the proportions of Helicobacteraceae and Prevotellaceae were significantly decreased through the administration of E. aerogenes ZDY01. Results indicated that the use of probiotics to act directly on the TMA in the gut might be an alternative approach to reduce serum TMAO levels and to prevent the development of atherosclerosis and "fish odor syndrome" through the effect of TMA on the gut microbiota.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제34권5호
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• pp.353-355
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• 2017

A four month old, intact female Jindo dog presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Kangwon National University with collapse. Physical examination revealed a heart rate of more than 200 beats per minute. Blood tests showed mild anemia and mild neutrophilia, while thoracic radiography and ultrasonography revealed no remarkable findings. Electrocardiography showed ventricular premature complexes (VPCs). The dog was diagnosed with congenital ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The condition was improved by lidocaine infusion. After 10 days, the dog was discharged from the hospital with a prescription of atenolol, pimobendan, diltiazem, furosemide, spironolactone, and L-carnitine. This dog is still alive after 31 months. However, progressive cardiac remodeling was confirmed on radiography and ultrasonography. Congenital ventricular tachyarrhythmia is rare in dogs, and the prognosis of reported cases is poor. This report describes the long-term successful management of a dog with congenital ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.223-227
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• 2012

This study examined the effects of corn gluten (CG), wheat gluten (WG), and soybean protein isolate (SPI), as well as their hydrolysates, on weight reduction in rats fed a high-fat diet. Eight-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=70) were fed a high-fat diet (40% of the calories were fat) for 4 weeks. Rats were then randomly divided into seven groups and were fed isocaloric diets with different protein sources for 8 weeks. The protein sources were casein (control group), intact CG (CG group), CG hydrolysate (CGH group), intact WG (WG group), WG hydrolysate (WGH group), intact SPI (SPI group), and SPI hydrolysate (SPIH group). Body weight gain, adipose tissue weights, lipid profiles in plasma and liver; and hepatic activities of carnitine palmitoyl transferase, fatty acid synthase (FAS), malic enzyme, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were assessed. The CGH group showed significant weight reduction compared with the other groups. Epididymal fat pad and plasma triglycerides in the CGH group were the lowest and were significantly different than those in the control group. FAS activity in the CGH group was significantly lower than that in the other groups. In conclusion, the CGH diet of these experimental animals demonstrated a weight-reducing effect by lowering the adipose tissue weight and by affecting the activities of hepatic lipogenic enzymes.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.441-451
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• 2017

Imperatorin, a major bioactive furanocoumarin with multifunctions, can be used for treating neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of imperatorin transport in the brain. Experiments of the present study were designed to study imperatorin transport across the blood-brain barrier both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo study was performed in rats using single intravenous injection and in situ carotid artery perfusion technique. Conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cells were as an in vitro model of blood-brain barrier to examine the transport mechanism of imperatorin. Brain distribution volume of imperatorin was about 6 fold greater than that of sucrose, suggesting that the transport of imperatorin was through the blood-brain barrier in physiological state. Both in vivo and in vitro imperatorin transport studies demonstrated that imperatorin could be transported in a concentration-dependent manner with high affinity. Imperatorin uptake was dependent on proton gradient in an opposite direction. It was significantly reduced by pretreatment with sodium azide. However, its uptake was not inhibited by replacing extracellular sodium with potassium or N-methylglucamine. The uptake of imperatorin was inhibited by various cationic compounds, but not inhibited by TEA, choline and organic anion substances. Transfection of plasma membrane monoamine transporter, organic cation transporter 2 and organic cation/carnitine transporter 2/1 siRNA failed to alter imperatorin transport in brain capillary endothelial cells. Especially, tramadol, clonidine and pyrilamine inhibited the uptake of [$^3H$]imperatorin competitively. Therefore, imperatorin is actively transported from blood to brain across the blood-brain barrier by passive and carrier-mediated transporter.

• 한국식품영양학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.506-512
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• 2016

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is used in traditional herbal medicine in many Asian countries for the treatment of several diseases such as diabetes, eczema, night blindness, psoriasis, and rheumatism. Especially, most reports concerning the biological activities of bitter melon have focused on its effects on diabetes and hyperglycemia. Also, bitter melon is regarded as a longevity food, suggesting that it has several beneficial effects on anti-aging and the maintenance of a healthy state. Thus, we investigated whether bitter melon could increase the capacity of exercise in this study. Interestingly, bitter melon fruit extract activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is important for regulating glucose homeostasis, mitochondrial content and exercise capacity. In addition, bitter melon extract increased the expression of enzymes involved in fatty acid oxidation such as mitochondrial uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3), carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1b (CPT1b), and pyruvate dehydrogenase lipoamide kinase isozyme 4 (PDK4). Moreover, exercise tolerance was much more enhanced in bitter melon treated animals compared to the non-treated control group. These results suggest that bitter melon is a promising candidate for the development of functional foods beneficial for physical strength and the enhancement of exercise capacity.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.159-166
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• 2017

Through this study, the authors investigated the anti-steatosis effects of the Amomum cardamomum ethyl acetate fraction in free fatty acids (FFAs)-induced human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. The ethyl acetate fraction of Amomum cardamomum (ACEA) was extracted with 70% ethanol and then the extract was evaporated using a rotary evaporator prior to sequential fractionation. Human hepatocellular carcinoma were treated with different concentrations of ACEA in the presence and absence of FFAs. To demonstrate the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, DCFDA level was analyzed by using in vitro assay system. Cell viability, lipid accumulation, intracellular triglycerides, malondialdehyde (MDA), liver steatosis related signaling molecules and inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, 8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) were also investigated. As results, ACEA inhibited the FFAs-induced ROS, lipid accumulation, intracellular triglycerides, and MDA in a dose dependent manner. Treatment of human hepatocellular cells with ACEA induced the phosphorylation of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT1) expression using western blot analysis. ACEA also potently suppressed the FFAs-induced inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8 and $TNF-{\alpha}$. These results suggest that the ethyl acetate fraction of Amomum cardamoum extract own inhibitory effects of liver steatosis by inhibiting ROS, lipid accumulation, intracellular triglycerides, MDA through AMPK signaling and anti-inflammatory actions.

• 한국축산식품학회지
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.214-220
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• 2014

We investigated nutritional characteristics and active components in the liver of Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle and Qinchuan cattle produced in Shaanxi (China). We observed significant differences (p<0.05) in the proximate composition of protein, fat, carbohydrate, total energy, and glycogen. Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver showed higher (p<0.05) sodium, iron, zinc, and selenium concentrations than Qinchuan cattle liver. The amino acid composition of Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver was richer (p<0.05) in 13 types of amino acids, with the exception of Asp (10.06%), Val (5.86%), and Met (1.72%). Total essential amino acids accounted for almost half the composition (39.69%) in Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver. Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver had lower (p<0.05) levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (18.2%), but higher (p<0.05) levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (35.11%), compared with Qinchuan cattle liver (23.29% and 28.11%, respectively). The thrombogenic index was higher in Qinchuan cattle liver (0.86) than in Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver (0.70), and the glutathione (38.0 mg/100g) and L-carnitine (2.12 ${\mu}M/g$) content was higher (p<0.05) in Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver than in Qinchuan cattle liver (29.8 mg/100g and 1.41 ${\mu}M/g$, respectively). According to the results obtained, the liver of Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle, which is insufficiently used, should be increasingly utilized to improve its commercial value.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.127-134
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• 2015

Castration induces the accumulation of body fat and deposition of intramuscular fat in Korean cattle, resulting in improved beef quality. However, little is known about the metabolic adaptations in the liver following castration. To understand changes in lipid metabolism following castration, hepatic expression levels of lipid metabolism genes were compared between Korean bulls and steers. Steers had higher (p<0.001) hepatic lipids contents and higher (p<0.01) mRNA levels of lipogenic acetyl-CoA carboxylase. This differential gene expression may, in part, contribute to increased hepatic lipid content following the castration of bulls. However, we found no differences in the hepatic expression levels of genes related to triglyceride synthesis (mitochondrial glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 and 2) and fatty acid (FA) oxidation (carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, C-4 to C-12 straight chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase) between bulls and steers. No differences in gene expression for very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, including apolipoprotein B mRNA and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) protein, were observed in the liver although MTTP mRNA levels were higher in steers compared to bulls. In conclusion, FA synthesis may contribute to increased hepatic lipid deposition in steers following castration. However, hepatic lipid metabolism, including triglyceride synthesis, FA oxidation, and VLDL secretion, was not significantly altered by castration. Our results suggest that hepatic lipid metabolism does not significantly contribute to increased body fat deposition in steers following castration.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제29권11호
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• pp.1593-1600
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• 2016

This research was conducted to investigate the physiological consequences of undernourished yak. Twelve Maiwa yak ($110.3{\pm}5.85kg$) were randomly divided into two groups (baseline and starvation group). The yak of baseline group were slaughtered at day 0, while the other group of yak were kept in shed without feed but allowed free access to water, salt and free movement for 9 days. Blood samples of the starvation group were collected on day 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9 and the starved yak were slaughtered after the final blood sample collection. The liver and muscle glycogen of the starvation group decreased (p<0.01), and the lipid content also decreased while the content of moisture and ash increased (p<0.05) both in Longissimus dorsi and liver compared with the baseline group. The plasma insulin and glucose of the starved yak decreased at first and then kept stable but at a relatively lower level during the following days (p<0.01). On the contrary, the non-esterified fatty acids was increased (p<0.01). Beyond our expectation, the ketone bodies of ${\beta}$-hydroxybutyric acid and acetoacetic acid decreased with prolonged starvation (p<0.01). Furthermore, the mRNA expression of lipogenetic enzyme fatty acid synthase and lipoprotein lipase in subcutaneous adipose tissue of starved yak were down-regulated (p<0.01), whereas the mRNA expression of lipolytic enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 and hormone sensitive lipase were up-regulated (p<0.01) after 9 days of starvation. The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and pyruvate carboxylase, responsible for hepatic gluconeogenesis were up-regulated (p<0.01). It was concluded that yak derive energy by gluconeogenesis promotion and fat storage mobilization during starvation but without ketone body accumulation in the plasma.